Canberra, Nov 16 (ANI): Australian Prime minister Julia Gillard's decision to push Labor to overturn a ban imposed on selling uranium to India has apparently triggered a fight with her party's Left, as some MPs remain vehemently opposed to the proposal.
Gillard planned to overturn the long-standing party policy that allows uranium to be sold only to nations that have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. India is not a signatory to the treaty.
Senior Australian ministers including Stephen Smith, Wayne Swan, Martin Ferguson and Kevin Rudd have backed the change.
But according to the Sydney Morning Herald, MPs from the Left have vowed to fight the decision at the ALP national conference to be held next month.
A senior minister, Anthony Albanese, said he does not favour any change that would undermine the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
'"I'm opposed to platform change on uranium. I support the existing platform. I don't support any change which would undermine the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty," the paper quoted him, as saying.
Another MP, Gavin Marshall, pointed out that 'it is irresponsible to sell uranium to a nuclear-armed country that has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and is also in regular conflict with another nuclear-armed power.'
"It defies logic to assist greedy mining companies to line their pockets at the expense of the country's international standing," he added.
According to the report, the Left controls about 44 percent of the vote at the conference and with the Right supporting Gillard, the policy is likely to change. (ANI)
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